Valve construction



April 25, 1961 A. F. MEYER VALVE CONSTRUCTION Filed April 16, 1957 FIE: E

IN VEN TOR. Aoauw E'Msrs BY @MM M United VALVE CONSTRUCTION Adolph F. Meyer, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Thomas B. Meyer, Minneapolis, Minn.

Filed Apr. 16, 1957, Ser. No. 653,202

1 Claim. (Cl. 137-6255) This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 152,102, for Compound Governor, filed March 27, 1950, now abandoned.

The present invention has relation to valve construction for the control of fluid flow and pressure and has for its object to provide valve construction for the purpose as stated wherein will be incorporated novel and advantageous features and characteristics which will be improvements generally over valve construction for controlling flow and pressure disclosed in US. Letters Patent 2,179,559 for Compound Compensated Governor, granted to me on November 14, 1939.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification,

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of new and improved valve construction made according to the invention; and

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are fragmentary vertical sectional views of valve construction of modified form incorporating the features and characteristics of the invention.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, there is disclosed a hollow member providing an inlet chamber 11 to be supplied, at 12, with water from a source (not shown) of water under constant pressure. The inlet chamber 11 is connected by an opening 13 with a central chamber 14 provided by the hollow member. An outlet chamber 15 in said hollow member is separated from the central chamber by a partition 16, and an opening 17, alined with the opening 13, connects said central and outlet chambers. An overflow outlet 18 to atmosphere leads from the outlet chamber. A conduit 19 will lead from the central chamber 14 to phenomena to be controlled.

Opposingly situated, lower and upper valve seats, denoted 20 and 21, respectively, are in bounding relation to the openings 13 and 17, respectively.

A double acting valve member 22 is for controlling flow of water through the opening 13 to the central chamber 14 and from said central chamber through the opening 17 to the outlet chamber 15.

Lower and upper valve surfaces of the double acting valve member are for engaging the lower and upper valve seats 20 and 21, respectively. A valve stem 23 is integral with the valve member, and a lever 24, pivotally mounted, at 25, on the hollow member is for urging said valve member vertically downward. The valve stem is guided, at 26, and fluid pressure from the source Constantly urges the valve member upwardly and maintains the valve stem engaged, at 27, against the lever 24.

in practice, phenomena controlled by the valve construction will in turn control the position of the lever 24, and hence of the valve member 22, in the general manner as disclosed in my above identified Letters Patent. The position of the valve member during operation of the valve construction will be a function of phenomena being controlled.

The valve member 22 is constituted as a central cylindrical portion 28, a first cylinder 29 at the lower end of and of smaller diameter than the central cylindrical atent 523981296 Patented Apr. 25, .1961

. 2 portion and a second cylinder 30 at the upper end of and of smaller diameter than said central cylindrical portion. The lower valve surface of said valve member is constituted as the vertical cylindrical surface 31 of the first cylinder 29, at all times within the opening 13 and in spaced, concentric relation to the interior margin of the lower valve seat 20, and a lower, annular, substantially horizontal shoulder 32, in facing relation to said lower valve seat, extending outwardly from the upper end of said vertical cylindrical surface 31 to the circumference of said central cylindrical portion. The upper valve surface of the valve member is constituted as the vertical cylindrical surface 33 of the second cylinder 30, at all times within the opening 17 and in spaced, concentric relation to the interior margin of the upper valve seat 21, and an upper, annular, substantially horizontal shoulder 34, in facing relation to said upper valve seat, extending outwardly from the lower end of said vertical cylindrical surface 33 to the circumference of the central cylindrical portion. The shoulders 32 and -Annular spaces between the horizontal shoulders 32, 34

and the flat surfaces of the lower and upper valve seats 20, 21, respectively, are herein referred to as horizontal openings, denoted 35 and 36, respectively, and annular spaces between the cylindrical surfaces 31, 33 and the interior margins of said lower and upper valve seats, respectively, are herein referred to as vertical openings, indicated 37 and 38, respectively.

in the disclosure as made, the valve member is at a central position and the horizontal openings 35, 36 are substantially larger than the vertical openings 37, 38, respectively. In such an instance, the vertical openings 37 and 38 will control fluid flow for small movement of the valve member from the central position, and the valve will be relatively insensitive to movement when near central position. Were the valve constructed so that in the central position of the valve member the horizontal openings 35 and 36 were smaller than the vertical openings 37 and 38, respectively, then the horizontal openings would control fluid flow for small movement of the valve member and the valve would be relatively sensitive to movement near the central position. Under either construction, substantial movement of the valve member away from its central position toward the upper valve seat 21 would cause the upper horizontal opening 36 and the lower vertical opening 37 to assume primary control of fluid flow through the valve and of pressure in the central chamber 14 and substantial movement of said valve member toward the lower valve seat would cause the lower horizontal opening 35 and the upper vertical opening 38 to assume primary control of fluid flow and of pressure in said central chamber.

The greater the excess of the area of the lower and upper horizontal openings 35 and 36 over the lower and upper vertical openings 37 and 38, respectively, the lower the rate of change of fluid pressure in the central chamber 14 and the conduit 19 with movement of the valve member 22 away from its central position. Toward either limit of valve travel, the size of one of the horizontal openings will change rapidly and the size of the opposite vertical opening will change very slowly or not at all.

For valve travel from closed condition to wide open condition the lower horizontal opening 35 will control flow into the central chamber 14 and the upper vertical opening 38 will control flow from said central chamber until the valve member has reached a position in its travel such that said lower horizontal opening and said upper vertical opening are of equal size. Thereafter, the lower vertical opening 37 will control flow into the central chamber and the upper horizontal opening 36 will control flow from said central chamber. For valve travel from wide open condition to closed condition said lower vertical opening 37 will control flow into the cenra ham and said pe orizontal open ng 36 will control flow from said central chamber until said valve member has reached a position such that the upper horizontal opening and the lower vertical opening are of equal size. Thereafter, the lower horizontal opening 35 will control flow into the central chamber and the upper vertical opening 38 will control flow from said central chamber.

A double acting valve member disclosed in my Letters Patent above identified, for controlling flow and pressure, consists of a cylindrical portion at the middle thereof, and a downwardly pointed cone at; the bottom and an upwardly pointing frustum of a cone at the top of said cylindrical portion. Every movement of the valve member necessarily causes a simultaneous increase in the valve inlet opening and a decrease in the valve outlet opening, or vice versa. Whereas the valve of my patent has a single inlet opening and a single outlet opening for controlling fluid flow, the valve herein presented has two associated inlet openings, viz., the lower horizontal opening 35 and the lower vertical opening '37, and two associated outlet openings, viz., the upper horizontal opening 36 and the upper vertical opening 38 which cooperatively control flow through said valve in certain positions of the valve member.

In the valve of my patent, the rate of change of valve 7 opening with valve travel is a maximum near the central position, producing maximum valve sensitivity in that position. There can be nocentral dead zone. In the valve of this application, sensitivity is at a minimum in the central valve position. In the instance of a valve having equal lower and upper vertical openings, such as 37 and 38, there will be a dead zone at and near the central position for the valve member, such as 22, when the lower and upper horizontal openings, such as 35 and 36, are larger than the lower and upper vertical openings, respectively. The greater the excess, the wider the dead zone will be.

By constructing the valve with lower and upper vertical openings, such as 37 and 38, of unequal size the normal operating pressure in the conduit 19 can be made higher or lower than half of the inlet pressure as may be desired.

Differences in sensitivity of a valve construction made according to the invention for equal increments in valve travel can be secured by varying the radii of the shouldets, such as 32 and 34, which join the circumference of a central cylindrical portion, such as 28, of the valve member with the circumferences of first and second cylinders, such as 29 and 30, of said valve member.

In Fig. 2 of the drawing there is disclosed a double acting valve member 42 of modified construction capable of use as a substitute for the valve member 22 of Fig. 1 to the attainment of sensitivity having characteristics different from those which would be secured by employment of said valve member 22. The valve member 42 includes a central cylindrical portion 48 and first and second cylinders 49 and 50 at the lower and upper ends of, and both of smaller diameter than, said central cylindrical portion 48. A lower valve surface of the valve member 42 is constituted as a vertical cylindrical surface '51 of the first cylinder 49 and a lower annular shoulder 52 in facing relation to a lower valve seat 40, and an upper valve surface of said valve member is constituted as avertical cylindrical surface 53 of the second cylinder 50 and an upper annular shoulder 54 in facing relation to an upper valve seat 41. The lower and upper valve seats 40 and 41 are of unequal diameter, as are also the first and second cylinders 49 and 50.

In Fig. 3,, a valve member 62 includes a central cylin-.

drical portion 68 and first and second slightly tapered cylinders 69 and 70 at the lower and upper ends of, and both of smaller diameter than, said central cylindrical portion 68. A lower valve surface of the valve member 62 is constituted as a vertical cylindrical surface 71 of the first cylinder 69 and a lower annular shoulder 72 in facing relation to a lower valve seat 60, and an upper valve surface of said valve member is constituted as a vertical cylindrical surface 73 of the second cylinder 79 and an upper annular shoulder 74 in facing relation to an upper valve seat 61. The lower and upper valve seats 60 and 61 are of the same diameter, as are also the first and second cylinders 69 and 70. In Fig. 4, a valve member 82 includes a central cylindrical portion 88 and first and second cylinders 89 and 90 at the lower and upper ends of, and both of smaller diameter than, said central cylindrical portion 88. A lower valve surface of the valve member 82 is constituted a vertical cylindrical surface 91 of the first cylinder 89 and a lower'annular upwardly sloped shoulder 92 in facing relation to a lower valve seat 80, and an upper valve surface of said valve member is constituted as a vertical cylindrical surface 93 of the second cylinder 90 and an upper annular downwardly sloped shoulder 94 in facing relation to an upper valve seat 81. The lower and upper valve seats 86 and 81 are of equal diameter, as V are also'the first and second cylinders 89 and 99.

What is claimed is:

in a valve construction, a hollow member having a chamber to be supplied with fluid from. a source under constant pressure, there being a first opening to the chamber from said source with a second opening from said chamber, opposingly situated, substantially parallel lower and upper valve seats within the chamber having interior margins thereof in bounding relationship to said first and second openings, respectively, a conduit leading from said chamber at a location between the first and second openings, a guided valve member having a central cylindrical portion, a first cylinder at the lower end of and of smaller diameter than said central cylindrical portion providing a lower cylindrical surface at all times within said first opening in spaced, concentric relationship to said interior margin of said lower valve seat, a second cylinder at the upper end of and of smaller diameter than the central cylindrical portion providing an upper cylindrical surface at all times within said second opening in spaced, concentric relationship to said interior margin of said upper valve seat, a lower annular shoulder surface in spaced relationship with and parallel to said lower valve seat extending outwardly of the upper end of said lower cylindrical surface toward the circumference of said center cylindrical portion, said lower cylindrical surface being situated at substantially right angles to said lower annular shoulder surface, an upper annular shoulder surface in facing relationship with and parallel to said upper valve seat extending outwardly of the lower end of said upper cylindrical surface toward the circumference of the center cylindrical portion, said lower cylindrical surface and the inner boundaries of said lower valve seat together defining an annular inlet opening, said lower annular shoulder surface and said lower valve seat together defininga horizontal inlet opening situated at substantially right angles to said annular inlet opening, said upper cylindrical surface and the inner boundaries of said upper valve seat together defining an annular outlet opening, said upper annular shoulder surface and said upper valve seat together defining a horizontal outlet opening situated at substantially right angles to said annular outlet opening, said annular openings having a minimum cross sectional area less than the minimum cross sectional area of their associated horizontal openings with the. upper and lower annular shoulder surfaces spacedequal distances from their respective valve seats, said annular: opening defining surfaces being of configuration to cause said annular openings to remain substantially constant in cross sectional area and said horizontal opening defining surfaces being of configuration to cause said horizontal openings to sub stantially change in cross sectional area as .said guided valve member moves alternately toward and away from said upper and lower valve seats, and means for moving said guided valve member alternately toward and away from said upper and lower valve seats.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Reedy Nov. 28, 1933 Meyer Nov. 14, 1939 Lindsay Dec. 26, 1950 Dombeck Nov. 4, 1952 Thorner Dec. 8, 1953 Thcrner Mar. 6, 1956 

